Mayor Acts To Fund Anti-gang Programs

May 29, 1985|By James Strong.

Mayor Harold Washington, bristling over delays in implementing his administration`s program to combat street gang violence in Chicago, said Tuesday he will immediately commit $1 million in city funds to the effort and ignore any objections from the city council`s majority bloc.

Washington said the city can use $750,000 from its corporate funds to begin hiring and training crisis intervention teams without council approval. Another $250,000 will be earmarked for selected agencies to implement alternative programs for idle youths during the summer months.

``This program should have been set in motion two weeks ago. Make no mistake about it, we are at war against youth gangs within and throughout the entire city of Chicago,`` the mayor said at a City Hall press conference.

``We would have preferred to have everyone in the City Council unanimously signed on to this important anti-gang program. We spent precious days negotiating toward that end. But there is a limit to how many of our children`s hours we can risk through further delay. We do not intend to wait a single day longer.``

Approval of the administration`s full $3.9 million anti-gang program was stalled two weeks ago in another council dispute. Aldermen aligned with the mayor deferred action on the plan in objecting to a move by the majority bloc to gain control over approval of funding to the more than 300 community groups requesting money to fight crime in their neighborhoods.

Aides to Ald. Edward Burke (14th), a majority bloc leader and Finance Committee chairman, said Burke and other majority bloc aldermen are expected to insist on their demands to oversee the spending of anti-gang funds.

In criticizing the majority bloc, Washington said, ``I was certain this was one matter we could (use) to signal the world that the city council members were capable of working together when the issue is a matter of life and death to our children.

``The process was subverted by the crass political maneuvering of the opposition that took priority over the lives of our children and the safety and tranquility of the city.

``I am not going to let another two weeks go by without implementing this program. I am determined to have anti-gang workers on the streets this summer, and this means hiring right now.``

Washington contended that the $1 million already has been approved by the council for combating gang crimes in the city`s 1985 corporate budget and added that he will challenge the legality of the majority bloc`s determination to control funds from federal Community Development Block Grant monies to the city.